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EUROPEAN MICROFINANCE AWARD 2023
INCLUSIVE FINANCE FOR FOOD SECURITY & NUTRITION
The €100,000 European Microfinance Award 2023 on ‘Inclusive Finance for Food Security & Nutrition' highlights organisations working in financial inclusion that aim to safeguard access to quality and affordable food for vulnerable populations and to increase resilience of sustainable food systems.
After a selection process that reviewed applications from 41 organisations in 25 countries, Yikri has been selected as winner to receive the €100,000 European Microfinance Award 2023.
Yikri is an MFI in Burkina Faso, a country with among the highest global levels of food insecurity as well as long-term socio-political violence. Yikri offers group-based financial services alongside education on financial literacy, health and nutrition, and agricultural practices. Yikri field officers are trained to recognise the warning signs of malnutrition in mothers and children and refer clients to associations offering subsidized milk programs. Yikri has a subsidised agricultural loan accompanied by training on sustainable agri-practices, including increasing crop production while reducing environmental impacts, and has started “field schools” to demonstrate recommended farming practices, as well as value chain training that connects farmers with input suppliers and buyers.
The other two finalists Kenya’s Fortune Credit Ltd and Guatemala’s Fundación Génesis Empresarial each received €10,000.
Congratulations also to the seven Award semi-finalists: Anh Chi Em Program from Vietnam; Annapurna Finance Private Ltd. from India; Co-operative Bank of Kenya Ltd; The First Microfinance Bank Syria; Friendship Bridge from Guatemala; Microloan Foundation Malawi; and Sinapi Aba Savings and Loans from Ghana.
Learn more about the finalists and semifinalists, the outstanding cases and factors for success from this year’s European Microfinance Award (EMA) in our publication:
Inclusive Finance for Food Security & Nutrition: Lessons and Best Practices from the European Microfinance Award 2023, November 2023
For more background information read:
Publication: e-MFP Members' Spotlight on Inclusive Finance for Food Security & Nutrition, October 2023
Press release: Finalists for the European Microfinance Award 2023 on 'Inclusive Finance for Food Security & Nutrition' Announced, 25 Sept 2023
Guest blog: Rural and Agricultural Entrepreneurs Deserve a New Vision for Food System Transformation, 19 October 2023
Guest blog: How Cash Transfers Contribute to Addressing People's Essential Needs, Including Food Security, While Promoting Financial Inclusion, 12 Sept 2023
Guest blog: Market-Based Approaches and Fiscal Measures Can Best Address Food Security & Nutrition, 6 July 2023
Guest blog: Unaddressed and Unacceptable Sacrifices: The Role of Financial Services for Food Security and Nutrition, 11 May 2023
MicroCapital blog: Christoph Pausch on the European Microfinance Award 2023 – Inclusive Finance for Food Security & Nutrition, 3 April 2023
NextBIllion Blog: How Inclusive Finance Can Address the World’s Most Fundamental Challenge: Food Security, Nutrition and the European Microfinance Award 2023, 22 March 2023
Guest Blog: How Inclusive Finance Can Play a Vital Role in Food Security & Nutrition, 14 March 2023
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PRIX EUROPÉEN DE LA MICROFINANCE 2023
LA FINANCE INCLUSIVE POUR LA SÉCURITÉ ALIMENTAIRE ET LA NUTRITION
Le Prix européen de la Microfinance 2023 « La Finance Inclusive pour la Sécurité Alimentaire et la Nutrition » met en exergue des organisations qui œuvrent pour l’inclusion financière et visent à assurer aux populations vulnérables l’accès à des aliments de qualité financièrement abordables et à accroître la résilience des systèmes alimentaires durables.
Après un processus de sélection qui a examiné les candidatures de 41 organisations dans 25 pays, Yikri a été sélectionné comme lauréat du Prix européen de la Microfinance 2023 doté d'une enveloppe de 100 000 euros.
Yikri est une IMF du Burkina Faso, un pays qui connaît une insécurité alimentaire parmi les plus élevées au monde et une violence socio-politique persistante. Yikri propose des services financiers collectifs ainsi qu'une éducation à la finance, à la santé, à la nutrition et aux pratiques agricoles. Les agents de terrain de Yikri sont formés à reconnaître les signes inquiétants de malnutrition chez les mères et les enfants et à orienter les clients vers des associations proposant des programmes de distribution de lait subventionné. Yikri propose un prêt agricole subventionné qui s'accompagne d'une formation aux pratiques agricoles durables – notamment comment augmenter la production agricole tout en atténuant ses effets sur l'environnement. Elle a par ailleurs mis en place des « champs pédagogiques », sortes de vitrines des pratiques agricoles recommandées, ainsi qu'une formation sur la chaîne de valeur, qui met les agriculteurs en relation avec les fournisseurs d'intrants et les acheteurs.
Les deux autres finalistes, Fortune Credit Ltd (Kenya) et Fundación Génesis Empresarial (Guatemala), ont reçu une récompense de 10 000 euros chacun.
Félicitations également aux sept autres demi-finalistes du Prix : Anh Chi Em Program (Vietnam), Annapurna Finance Private Ltd. (Inde), Co-operative Bank of Kenya Ltd, The First Microfinance Bank-Syria, Friendship Bridge (Guatemala), Microloan Foundation Malawi et Sinapi Aba Savings and Loans (Ghana).
Pour plus d'informations, veuillez lire :
Communiqué de presse: Fortune Credit Ltd, Fundación Génesis Empresarial et Yikri désignés finalistes du Prix européen de la Microfinance 2023 « La finance inclusive pour la sécurité alimentaire et la nutrition », 25 septembre 2023
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PREMIO EUROPEO DE LAS MICROFINANZAS 2023
FINANZAS INCLUSIVAS PARA LA SEGURIDAD ALIMENTARIA Y LA NUTRICIÓN
Lanzamiento del Premio Europeo de las Microfinanzas 2023 “Finanzas Inclusivas para la Seguridad Alimentaria y la Nutrición”, destaca organizaciones activas en el sector de la inclusión financiera que aspiran a salvaguardar el acceso a una alimentación de calidad asequible para las poblaciones vulnerables y aumentar la resiliencia de sistemas alimentarios sostenibles.
Tras un proceso de selección en el que se examinaron las candidaturas de 41 organizaciones de 25 países, Yikri ha sido seleccionada como ganadora para recibir el Premio Europeo de Microfinanciación 2023 dotado con 100.000 euros.
Yikri es una IMF de Burkina Faso, uno de los países con mayores niveles de inseguridad alimentaria así como una violencia sociopolítica arraigada en el tiempo. Yikri presta servicios financieros a colectivos así como formación para la alfabetización financiera y en el ámbito de la salud, la nutrición y las prácticas agrícolas. Los agentes de campo de Yikri han sido formados para reconocer las signos de alarma de la malnutrición en madres e hijos para poder así derivarlos a asociaciones que ofrecen programas subvencionados de acceso a la leche. Yikri ha desarrollado un préstamo agrícola subvencionado que complementa con formación en prácticas agrícolas sostenibles, por ejemplo para aumentar la producción de las cosechas reduciendo el impacto medioambiental, y ha lanzado una iniciativa de “escuelas de campo” en las que se muestran las prácticas agrícolas recomendadas, además de formar en la cadena de valor para establecer vínculos entre los agricultores, los proveedores de insumos y los compradores.
Los otros dos finalistas, Fortune Credit Ltd de Kenia y la Fundación Génesis Empresarial de Guatemala, recibieron 10.000 euros cada uno.
Felicitaciones igualmente a las siete organizaciones semifinalistas del Premio: Anh Chi Em Program de Vietnam; Annapurna Finance Private Ltd. de India; Co-operative Bank of Kenya Ltd; The First Microfinance Bank Syria; Friendship Bridge de Guatemala; Microloan Foundation Malawi; y Sinapi Aba Savings and Loans de Ghana.
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ABOUT THE EUROPEAN MICROFINANCE AWARD
The European Microfinance Award (EMA) is a prestigious annual award with €100,000 for the winner and €10,000 for the runners-up, which attracts applications from organisations active in financial services around the world that are innovating in a particular area of financial inclusion. It serves two parallel goals: rewarding excellence, and collecting and disseminating the most relevant practices for replication by others.
The EMA was launched in 2005 by the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs – Directorate for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs. It is jointly organised by the Ministry, the European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP), and the Inclusive Finance Network Luxembourg, in cooperation with the European Investment Bank (EIB).
The EMA is presented in a ceremony which in the past has been in the presence of Her Royal Highness the Grand-Duchess of Luxembourg and the Luxembourg Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs. The ceremony takes place during the European Microfinance Week.
Visual: © Art work by Joe Cummings/European Microfinance Award